Archive for the ‘Mercury Comet’ tag

The words “Mercury Comet” and “auction top-10″ are not often used in the same sentence, but when that Mercury Comet carries the desirable R-Code 427-cu.in., 425-horsepower V-8 and shows a mere 2,004 miles on the odometer, the combination begins to make more sense. Last weekend, a 1967 Mercury Comet 202 with the R-Code V-8, sold new to tobacco heir Zach Reynolds, crossed the stage in Austin, Texas, commanding a price of $169,000 and landing the number-five spot on the auction’s top-10 list.

As delivered, the Comet was said to be one of 22 two-door sedans equipped with the R-Code engine, and Mecum claims that just six examples remain today. Equipped with the four-speed manual transmission, power front disc brakes, deluxe seatbelts, whitewall tires and a then-rare AM/FM radio, it fit Reynolds’s passion for fast but understated cars, and it’s likely that many of the miles were racked up in stoplight throwdowns or quarter-mile contests. It’s not clear how long Reynolds owned the car, which Mecum described as “original and unrestored,” but the tobacco heir was killed in a 1979 plane crash.

The Austin sale was not the Comet’s first trip across the block in recent years, either. In August of 2013, it crossed the stage at Mecum’s Monterey sale, where it bid to a price of $250,000, but failed to meet its reserve. At Indianapolis in May, the car reached a high bid of $175,000, but again failed to meet its reserve. Perhaps understanding that bidders would not be more generous in the future, the consignor accepted a bid of $169,000 in Austin.

Mercury’s Comet, and its more pedestrian cousin, the Ford Maverick, were once staples of parking lots and driveways across America. Their near-disappearance from the automotive landscape in recent years has had an odd effect on many of us who once ignored the Ford compacts: Suddenly, they look good, with near-ideal proportions and just the right amount of power with the 302-cu.in. V-8 beneath the hood. This 1971 Mercury Comet GT, for sale on Hemmings.com, checks that last box and goes one step further: Not only has the 302 been bored to 347-cu.in., but a Paxton supercharged has been bolted on for an added bit of thrust. The car’s only seen 8,400 miles roll beneath its wheels (though we suspect many of those have been added in ¼ mile increments), and is said to be in pristine condition with its original paint. From the seller’s description:

1971 Mercury Comet GT, very rare, in pristine condition, with 8,400 original miles and having the original, factory black paint, which is in excellent condition. Comet has the original 302 motor, with extensive upgrades converted to a full roller, o-ringed, supercharged 347-cu.in. motor – $14,000 in the motor alone. The Paxton Supercharger is adding the proper 6 – 8 lbs of boost to the combustion chamber. Vehicle has a smooth shifting 5-Spd Tremec trans, custom 9 in nodular differential with TL 3.89 gears, full custom 2.5 in stainless exhaust system and pfdb. Vehicle cruises very nice in the city and never had any overheating issues with the thermostatically controlled pusher fan/Al radiator set-up. The body sheetmetal has not been modified in any way with the exception of the professionally added sub-frame connectors. All work on this vehicle is top-notch, done by skilled professionals. I have the deluxe Marti’s report for vehicle, which states this is 1 of 69 Comets built with this color and powertrain combo. If you are interested in a rare, rust-free, compact Ford niche vehicle to cruise in or add to your collection, this is a classic to seriously consider.

Mercury built a total of 27,498 Comet Custom sedans for the 1963 model year, but most buyers didn’t check the option boxes for the 164-hp, 260-cu.in. V-8 coupled to a Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission. That makes this 1963 Mercury Comet Custom four-door sedan for sale on Hemmings.com something of a rare find, and its 42,300 original miles only add to the appeal of this car. Not only is the car described as rust-free and garaged for the duration of its three-owner lifespan, but it’s had recent servicing that included new shocks, new bushings, new pushrods and new rocker arms. Even the stock radio works, although its next owner will likely need to devote some attention to the car’s original cloth bench seat. From the seller’s description:

Though the decals indicating as much have yet to be installed, the dealer offering this 1966 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT convertible for sale on Hemmings.com notes that it was one of the on-track cars at that year’s Indianapolis 500, the year this particular make and model served as pace car. Presumably the decals were meant to go on during the recently completed restoration of the car, but it looks nice enough without them. From the seller’s description:

This is one of just 33 cars commissioned to be an official Indianapolis Motor Speedway “Parade Car” for selected dignitaries to use in May of 1966. This Cyclone GT has received a frame-off restoration and has approximately 39,110 miles on the odometer. We are not sure if the mileage is actual. This documented “on-track” car has the factory drilling and stanchions for the decorative flags that were used. This Cyclone GT has a new set of pace car decals that come with the car in the trunk. The flag-frame car has the proper number sequence to back this, as the car was built on April 5 1966. The engine is the original 390ci 335hp V8 with 10.5:1compression ratio, 427 ft-lbs torque, high-lift cam, special valve-springs and distributor, low-restriction air cleaner, power fan and dual exhaust. The transmission is the sturdy Merc-O-Matic C-6 automatic (all pace cars at Indy had automatics in 1966) that can be shifted manually, and the differential has 3.25:1 gearing. Additionally, the engine has a dress-up kit. A handling package and power front-wheel disc brakes are also on-board. The interior features parchment-toned interior (as are all ’66 Indy pace cars) and a center console between bucket seats. The dash includes the Rally Pac instrument cluster with dash-mounted tachometer. The driver’s side mirror is remote, as is the trunk release. The convertible top is power and it has power steering. The steering wheel is wood-grained with Cyclone GT badging. The standard exterior components on this Cyclone include a twin-scoop fiberglass hood, GT badging and stripes. Redline Firestone Wide Oval tires, chrome styled steel wheels. It received a complete frame-off restoration and was just recently color sanded. The car was never damaged or wrecked prior to and after it was restored. During the restoration, the frame was placed on a rotisserie, sandblasted, painted black and undercoated. All of the body panels were stripped, media blasted, straightened, painted with red epoxy primer and then gray epoxy sealed. The body was finished with 3-coats of Candy Apple Red acrylic enamel with a hardener. The engine was completely rebuilt, bored, checked for cracks and had new cam bearings and frost plugs. The C6 automatic transmission was totally rebuilt and a new torque convertor was added. The entire suspension was either rebuilt or replaced. All of the chrome was replated as well as the pot metal pieces. The original jack is in the trunk and the fiberglass hood is original. The original tachometer was beyond repair, so a mint-condition one was obtained from another Comet Cyclone. We recently (September 2013) replaced the windshield as it has some scratches that would not buff out. It has had a recent Pennsylvania inspection and is ready to go. It runs and drives like new.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum’s annual New England Auto Auction shares a weekend with the Monterey auctions, but that’s about where the similarities end. The Owls Head auction tends to focus on cars that are affordable to people of average means, and have that “something for everyone” quality that encourages spectators to become participants. Another key difference: The proceeds generated by the auction support the museum’s operating budget, making this their largest fundraiser of the year. The auction took place on August 17 on the museum grounds, with previews held throughout the preceding week.

The top sale among the 190 lots was the 1960 Jaguar XK150 3.8-liter Drop Head Coupe, above, which sold for $104,000. A recent restoration, this car was in #1 condition, with perfect paintwork, chrome and leather. I got on my hands and knees to look, and the underside was as nicely finished as the topside. Its only drawback – which is not a drawback to some – was its automatic transmission. The result was a moderately good deal for the buyer; the 3.8-liter engine adds 25 percent to the value, though the automatic takes away 10 percent.

On the opposite end of the scale was this 1975 Mercury Comet. The final vehicle to cross the block that day, it sold for just $300. Topside, it was a mostly original and complete #4+ car, with faded and crazed paint, some rust in the lower front fenders. Underneath, it was very rusty - possibly parts-car rusty. And that wasn’t its only drawback.

You should thank your lucky stars that you can’t smell this interior – the stench of mouse urine on this warm August day was nearly overpowering. Whichever volunteer who drew the short straw and had to drive this across the block gets our full sympathy. Note J.C. Whitney’s finest one-size-fits-all cover on the front bench seat. It also had an AM radio with an FM converter – remember those? Just 50,010 miles showed on the odometer. Under the hood was a 75hp 200-cu.in. straight-six.

Here’s a car I fell for: a 1947 Cadillac Series 62. This Full Classic was mostly original, except for a repaint in the original Antoinette Blue, probably sometime in the 1950s, according to the seller. Places where the paint had worn through had been touched up, the carpets were faded, the painted woodgrain on the door caps was crazed and there was minor glass delamination – all things that you’d expect with an unrestored, largely preserved car. We thought the big Caddy had mellowed beautifully, and we wouldn’t change a thing. Here’s a nice plus: The car came with a one-year membership in the Classic Car Club of America. It sold for $14,000, a bit below book value.

We’ll have more thorough coverage of the auction in upcoming issues of Hemmings Motor News and Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. Watch for announcements about next year’s auction, and check out the museum’s calendar of events, at OHTM.org.

We’d call the pairing of “Dyno Don” Nicholson’s A/FX Comet Cyclone and Spence Ford’s B/FX “Cyanide Cyclone” at auction next month a mild-and-wild duo, except there’s little mild about either of the cars. Call them instead wild and wilder.

When Mercury decided to go drag racing in 1964, it essentially had to start from scratch. Its new Cyclone, the performance version of the compact Comet, would provide a good platform for lightweight modifications, and the division could borrow some high-performance engines from the Ford parts shelf, but Mercury needed drivers. Fortunately, according to Charles Morris, writing in Factory Lightweights: Detroit’s Drag Racing Specials of the ’60s, GM’s formal exit from drag racing freed up a number of top drivers for Fran Hernandez to recruit: Ronnie Sox, Ed Schartman, and Nicholson. Of the 21 A/FX Comets that Dearborn Steel tubing built for Mercury in 1964, using 427-cu.in. High-Riser engines, all but one used Cyclone two-door hardtop bodies. The last one, Nicholson’s, used a four-door station wagon body for better weight distribution over the rear axle, and though he switched to a Cyclone partway through the season, he also recorded high 10-second passes and notched up 63 straight wins to go undefeated in match races that year.

For 1965, Nicholson returned in a Cyclone, this time built by Bill Stroppe Engineering using many of the same tricks as the 1964 A/FX cars: fiberglass front bumper, fenders, hood, and doors; custom traction bars; Plexiglas windows; and lightweight bucket seats. Instead of the pushrod 427s, however, Morris wrote that Mercury’s Al Turner convinced Ford to release a handful of its hemi-head SOHC 427 engines to the Mercury team, one of which ended up in Nicholson’s A/FX Cyclone, backed by a four-speed and 9-inch rear axle. With a single four-barrel carburetor, the SOHC was generally considered good for 615 horsepower from the factory, but with some massaging and another four-barrel from Nicholson, his engine reportedly produced somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 horsepower. Nicholson remained atop the match-race heap throughout the year, consistently turning in mid-10-second timeslips, not only by constantly tuning the SOHC engine, but also by altering the Cyclone’s wheelbase, leading the way for march of the funny cars in later years. According to Mecum, which will offer Nicholson’s Cyclone at its Indianapolis event, the Cyclone comes with extensive documentation, including the original Lincoln-Mercury sales agreement, dated December 1, 1964; the original Lloyd’s of London spectator liability insurance policy issued to Nicholson; and a letter Nicholson wrote before his death in 2006 approving of the car’s restoration back to its as-delivered (pre-altered wheelbase) configuration.

Not only did Mercury bring back its A/FX effort for 1965, it also expanded into B/FX that year. Also built by Stroppe, the 15 B/FX Cyclones featured many of the same modifications as the A/FX cars – lightweight body panels, deleted options, racing bucket seats, four-speed and 9-inch – but used the 271hp four-barrel 289-cu.in. small-block V-8. While the A/FX cars were provided only to factory-chosen racers such as Nicholson, Mercury made the B/FX cars available through its dealerships – at a price of $4,776, or about $2,100 more than a base Cyclone. What’s more, buyers could select from a couple of induction options, including dual quads ($249.50) or four Webers ($595), the latter good for about 400 horsepower. Morris noted that the B/FX Cyclones were generally good for timeslips in the 11.30-second to 11.70-second range.

According to Mecum, the B/FX Cyclone at the Indianapolis auction, known as the Cyanide Cyclone, was sponsored by Spence Ford of Boyertown, Pennsylvania, when new. Both the Nicholson A/FX Cyclone and the B/FX Cyanide Cyclone are part of the Richard Ellis collection of high-performance Fords, which includes the one-of-one Shelby G.T. 500 Super Snake. According to Mecum’s Infonet, the last time an A/FX Cyclone cross the Mecum block was in 2010 at Indianapolis, when the Arnie Beswick car bid up to $310,000 but didn’t sell. The last B/FX Cyclone to cross a Mecum auction block was at last year’s Kissimmee sale; it bid up to $150,000 but didn’t sell.

Mecum’s Indianapolis auction will take place May 14-19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. For more information, visit Mecum.com.

UPDATE (20.May 2013): Nicholson’s Cyclone sold for $410,000, while the Cyanide Cyclone sold for $75,000.

From the pre-muscle bucket-seats-in-a-compact-equals-sporty era comes this 1963 Mercury Comet S-22 convertible for sale on Hemmings.com, allegedly fitted with a four-speed transmission from the factory, along with the bucket seats and console, but powered by the basic six-cylinder – presumably the 101hp 170-cu.in. version. From the seller’s description:

This very rare classic was ordered with an optional Dagenham four-speed transmission. Dagenham is an English-made transmission made exclusively for Ford. Ford used this transmission in only 2 models, the Meteor S-33 and this car, the Comet S-22. 1963 was the first year of the S-22 convertible. Only 5,757 S-22 convertibles were made that year. The S-22 Comet was only available for four years; 1960-1964. In 1965, the S-22 was renamed the Caliente. Although the exact number of S-22 four-speeds is unknown, DMV records show only 121 remain today. How many of those were convertibles is also unknown. No matter how you look at it, this car is extremely rare and collectible.

The S-22 option package offered a few niceties, including special badging on the car’s exterior, the hubcaps, on the dash and steering wheel. It also included bucket seats with a center console. Other notable features to the S-22 are the stainless steel trim that runs from front to back on both side of the car, the chrome gills on the quarter panels and, the six rear taillights (three on each side) as opposed to four rear taillights. In addition to the factory four-speed transmission, this S-22 has the optional 170-cu.in. engine pushing 105hp. The engine is the original matching numbers engine that came with the car.

The condition of this car is incredible. We believe that this car has to be one of the best S-22 convertibles in existence. The exterior is immaculate. The factory Carnival Red paint shines beautifully over a completely rust- and dent-free body. All body panels are straight. The chrome and trim also shine like new. The entire body has a crisp clean look throughout. The white power top can’t be more than a few years old and operates flawlessly. it will go up and down in less than 12 seconds, fits tight with no wrinkling at all. it easily locks into place without a problem. The boot is also in great shape. It goes on and off easily and has no tears or runs. (We did not put the boot on for these photos as winter has set in here in NY, which makes it impossible to stretch the leather boot properly.

The interior is completely original and in excellent condition. All trim shines bright & has a crisp, clean appearance. All gauges and features work properly, including the AM radio. Although seat belts were not required in 1963 and are not required in a classic car today, rear seat belts have been added for the kids. The seats are in excellent condition. The driver’s side front seat has a small break to the trim on the very bottom of the seating area, which is shown in the photos. It can not open or spread any further and does not need repair. To retain originality, we suggest leaving it as is. There are no other blemishes, cracks or tears to the seating at all. The engine is nicely detailed and runs perfectly. You can barely hear it running. Starts immediately, stops perfectly, drives straight without pulling and needs nothing at all. Tires are almost new.

This car is suitable for long or short drives, any day or every day. The straight six-cylinder engine offers great gas mileage and the straight-six is virtually indestructible.

Price: $22,000 Location: Old Bethpage, New York
Status: No Longer Available

The six-cylinder under the hood of this 1962 Mercury Comet station wagon-teardrop trailer combination for sale on Hemmings.com might be seen by some as a negative. But considering the intended purpose of such a combination – to travel the country and see all that it has to offer – we rather see it as a positive. After all, why not slow down and take your time a cross-country road trip? From the seller’s description:

A 1962 Mercury Comet Station Wagon in excellent condition. But theres more! It also comes with a matching and “very cool” wood & stainless steel 1949 Tear Drop trailer that sleeps two.

Factory paint color Sea Blue, chrome and trim are excellent. Interior is black and white vinyl and in like-new condition. Wagon is a 6 cylinder 144ci with a 3 speed manual transmission on the tree, Power window on the tailgate. Odometer reads 26xxx miles. We can not verify the mileage as actual but based on the condition of every inch of this car, we believe that the mileage is accurate. A recent trophy winner – you won’t be disappointed!

The engine runs perfectly in all respects. Overall, the car is impressive. The Tear Drop trailers frame and wheel covers were customized to match the exterior of the car. They look like they were made for each other but they obviously were not.

The Tear Drop has its own battery to power the interior. The exterior has its own compartment where hand made wood cabinets can be used for storage and a table top can hold anything from a portable cooktop, microwave or whatever you had in mind.

Price: $12,500 Location: Old Bethpage, New York
Status: No Longer Available

Our magazines have voracious appetites for material – they consume it heartily as we fill issues with features, draining our file cabinets as we scramble to maintain the lifeblood of our publications. Fortunately, the old car hobby is comprised of a mass of networks, so finding one car often leads to others.

In this case, our connection on one car generated leads to a pair of very rare factory drag racers, but it got even better when the trail also included links to the men who originally piloted these cars down the quarter mile.

Gary Barnes is a Maryland collector who was featured in our August 2012 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines (HMM #107) with his 1967 Shelby G.T. 500, a car he’d known since it was brand new when he was just 12 years old. Barnes bought the Shelby several years later when he was 18 and restored it, and had recently completed a new stem-to-stern restoration, after which we connected to do the photo shoot on the car. That’s when we spotted the Thunderbolt in his garage.

The car was lettered in period livery, with “King Ford Sales” emblazoned on the doors; under the window was simply “Bud.” According to Gary, that Bud was Bud Shellenberger, the King Ford service manager who also drove the car in competition for the dealership – and he was a friend who still lived locally. It got even better when Gary mentioned that he was also friends with Tom Thompson, who still owned the 1965 Mercury Comet B/FX racer he’d driven when it was new; it was one of just 15 built by Bill Stroppe for Mercury, and it was in excellent unrestored condition.

Naturally, we had to get the cars and their original drivers together, and so we did for the January issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines. The story outlines how Gary Barnes found and restored the Thunderbolt, and details some of Bud’s experiences with it back in the day; Tom Thompson also has stories to tell about his time on the track with his Comet.

The story is part of our “Factory Fast” theme for January, which also includes a Restoration Profile on one of the original 1968 Cobra Jet Mustang factory drag cars, a 1962 Chevy 409/409 Impala with the lightweight package and a 1967 Plymouth WO23 Hemi Belvedere II Super Stocker. Watch for it to appear on newsstands or in your mailbox very soon.

The advantages of the economy car also prove its downfall. Inexpensive to buy and operate, they’re used up and worn out, seen as disposable and replaceable and fine for inexperienced drivers to beat on. Only in rare instances does one make it through the decades unscathed, as is the case with this 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente 404two-door hardtop for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:

Third Owner Survivor Car! ALL Original Unrestored! 2nd owner kept comet in garage as a spare car for 30 plus years. 54,898.5 original miles. Original Aqua Blue paint and matching cloth bench seat interior. Original 200 Straight 6 engine. Original chrome and trim show very well. Factory wheel covers. Rust and dent free. Trunk is clean and has original spare tire and mat. Runs great and can be driven with confidence. Great car for shows, parades, and weekend cruises. Has original radio but does not work. Automatic Transmission has a small gasket leak. Currently registered in New Jersey. I have the New Jersey title and it is clear.